Improvement in generating gas for motive power



UNITED STATES PATENT @FFIGE.

DANIEL E. SOMES, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN GENERATING GAS FOR MOTIVE POWER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 57,787, dated September4, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL E. SoMEs, of WVashington, in the District ofColumbia, have invented a new and useful process by which gas or steammay be generated and used as a motive power, of which the following is aspecification.

The nature of my invention consists, first, in combining or mixing withwater or steam gunpowder, and couvertingthe compound into gas and usingit as a motive power; second, combining with water or steam an explosivecompound or substance, and converting the same into gas and using it asa motive power; third, in combining with water or steam sulphur,saltpeter, and charcoal, and converting the same into gas to be used asa motive power; fourth, in combining with water or steam sulphur andsaltpete-r, and converting the same into gas to be used as a motivepower; fifth, in combining nitric acid with water or steam, andconverting the same into gas or vapor and usingit as a motive power;sixth, in combining sulphurous acid with water or steam, and convertingthe same into gas and using it as a motive power; seventh, in combiningsulphuric acid, alcohol, air, and water or steam, and converting thesame into gas and using it as a motive power; eighth, in combinin gsulphurous acid, saltpeter, charcoal, air, and water or steam, andconverting the same into gas and usingit as a motive power; ninth, incombining petroleum or other oil, alcohol, and saltpeter, and convertingthe same into gas and using it as a motive power; tenth, in combiningpetroleum or other oil, saltpeter, sulphuric acid, or their equivalents,and introducing the same through the medium of steam or water into thegenerator hereinafter described, and converting them into gas and usingit as a motive power, or for any other purpose to which it may beadapted; eleventh, in combining any two or more of the foregoingsubstances, or with any of the following, namely oil of turpentine,liquid carbonic acid, hydrogen, sulphureted hydrogen, and chlorine air,phosphoreted hydrogen, naphtha, ammonia, and converting them into gas orvapor, and using the same as a motive power or as fuel; twelfth,nitro-glyceriue dissolved in alkali and converted into gas, to be usedas a motive power with or without any of the foregoing; thirteenth, anykind of oil or fatty matter dissolved in alkali, and converted into gasto be used as a motive power.

In order to accomplish this part of my invention, I construct a gas orsteam generator of iron, steel, or copper lined with platinum,plaster-of-paris, firebrick, pipe clay, soapstone, or any material thatwill resist the ac tion of acids and a high degree of heat.

As this generator is not intended to carry or hold water, but simply toconvert any liquid or vapor that may enter it into gas, to be conductedto a receiver or to the engine direct as fast as it is made, it may bemuch smaller than any steamboiler designed to do the same amount ofwork, and may be made wholly of platinum without great expense.

The generator may be corrugated, or its outer surface fluted andsurrounded by a casing, which may also be corrugated or fluted, therebyforming numerous flues for conducting heat and smoke, and also toincrease its heating-surface. Around and near this casin g I also placeanother, composedot'two plates set a few inches apart, forming a tightchamber or chambers between them, designed to be filled with water, forthe double purpose of generating steam with any surplus heat that mayaccumulate in heating the generator, and for protecting tubes, ashereinafter described.

I insert tubes in the generator, extending through it and opening atboth ends into the flues. I also place small tubes opposite those abovedescribed, extending outward from the fines through the water-chamber,whose office is to conduct steam or gas of the ordinary kind or anycombustible gas or air or steam.

I also place other tubes near those last described, whose inner ends areopposite blocks of platinum, steel, soap-stone, fire-brick, pipeclay, ortheir equivalents, which are strongly attached to the generator. An airchamber or chambers outside the waterchamber are constructed to hold theair or gas which is forced through the said tubes.

I. will now describe the operation of heating the generator. Afire isstarted at or near the bottom of the lines, which is fed with petroleum,gas, coal, or any other combustible substance; but that which will makethe most flame is preferable. Combustible gas or air is forced into theair-chamber and through the small tubes and into the fines by means ofafan-blower, bellows, air-pump, or their equiv alents, and is ignited bythe flames in the dues and forced, in the form of a tongue of fire ofintense heat, into the tubes in the generator, or against the blocksaforesaid. Jets of fire, as from a common gas-burner, may be substitutedfor the flames in the fines, or may be used in connection therewith.

The water in the chamber protects the tubes running through it againstbeing melted or burned by the lire in the fines. I have another way ofprotecting them, which consists in making them double, or, in otherwords, I place a tube within a tube, with the end of the outer onetight, and filling the chamber between the two with water, and providingfor a-constant supply, as well as for the escape and use of the steamthat may be generated, which is done by forcing water into the tubes inthe usual way and letting the steam escape into a chamber, to be used asmotive power or as fuel.

Instead of using water, as set forth, Isometimes use soap-stone,plaster-of-paris, or firebrick in place of the water-chamber throughwhich the tubes are extended, though I prefer the former plan. I alsoconstruct and place near the generator another vessel designed to holdin solution the compound for making the gas. It should be made ofcopper, glass, soap stone, or some other material that will resist theaction of the acids and alkalies. These two vessels are connected bypipes or tubes made of material similar to that of the generator. Theseare made in sections, so as to be replaced by others when worn out or inneed of repair. The design of these tubes is to conduct the liquidcompound from the latter vessel to the generator while heated to such adegree as to partially heat said compound while on its passage. Insteadof several tubes, a large block of metal with numerous holes through itmay be used. This block or said tubes may be heated in the same mannerthat the generator is, or in any desirable way; or the heating of themmay be dispensed with altogether.

The generator is intended to be kept at a red or white heat, so that thecompound shall be instantly converted into gas or steam on its entrance,and then conducted to a receivin g-chamber, or to the engine direct.

In order to produce a powerful draft in the flues, and at the same timeto prevent the escape of any offensive odor, as well as for the sake ofeconomy, I use suction-blowers or airpumps, or their equivalents, fordrawing the gas from the engine after it has performed its ofiice, andthe smoke from the fines, and forcing them into cold chambers for thepurpose of condensing them.

In the chamber where the smoke is condensed are numerous jets of wateror spray forced in different directions. There is also a partition,which is kept constantly wet, and which has a large number of smallholes through it. The smoke is driven through the spray against thisperforated partition, and is separated from the air, which'is forcedthrough the small holes and against another wet partition near it, whichis also perforated. By this time the air will have deposited all of itsimpurities, and is then conducted through a circuitous flue or channelto the atmosphere without.

ire-gauze may be used instead of partitions, as described;

A screw is a good device, running in a cylinder, for forcing the smokeor steam.

The gas or steam, after leaving the engine, I force into a cold chamber,or through cold pipes, or both, and condense it in the manner describedabove for condensing the smoke, or in any desirable way, and usewhatever is valuable for making gas, or is valuable for any purpose.

Instead of condensing, as above described, I prefer to force the smokeand spent gas and steam from the engine and smoke-pipe through pipes orchambers into the fire-box or flames to be consumed, thus preventing theescape'of offensive odors and economizing in the use of fuel. chinerywhich is used for forcing the smoke and gas into the cold chambers ortubes for condensing, as set forth.

Iforce the compound into the generator by means of a pump, or I forceair into the vessel containing the compound. After the compound has beenput into the vessel the small opening is closed with a screw-stopper, orin some other way securely closed. The air is then forced in above thetop of the liquid compound with a sufficient amount of pressure to forcethe liquid into the generator. Air is also forced into the generator,either with the liquid or by itself, when desirable to mix with steam orgas.

The mode above described for producing draft and for condensing smokeand steam by suction-pumps or blowers or screw, I intend to apply tosteam-vessels, locomotives, stationary engines, and the like now in use.I alsoapply the double tubes, the outer one being filled with water orsteam, to fire-boxes, furnaces, and the like, for the purpose ofintroducing air or combustible gases into said fire-boxes, furnaces, andthe like, to increase the heat and to economize in the use of fuel. Insmelting ores or minerals these tubes, conducting air or combustiblegases through the sides and bottoms of the furnaces, pointing in alldirections, will be found to be valuable, especially when applied to theprecious metals.

The steam which is generated by the'heat coming in contact with thesepipes can be used to advantage in propelling the machinery which forcesthe air or gas or steam into the furnace through said pipes orwater-chambers.

My invention also consists in compressing water, steam, air, gas, or anyother liquid or volatile substance, and using the same as a motive powerand for other purposes.

This I do with the same kind of ma--.

It also consists in forcing steam, water, gas, air, or the like into achamber connected with the boiler by pipes with valves, and superheatingand compressing it before it is admitted to the engine.

The cylinder or steam-chest in which the steam is compressed orsuperheated, or compressed and superheated, is connected to the boilerby means of proper tubes, with proper valves or cutoffs for regulatingthe flow of steam. Valves or cut-oil's are also used in tubes connectingthe said cylinder with another cylinder intended for a like purpose, orwith the engine.

The cylinder is provided with one or more pistons or plungers, or theirequivalents, which are used for compressing the steam. These pistons aresmaller than the cylinders, and are packed steam-tight, like thepistonrod of an engine.

The steam is admitted to the cylinder at a low pressure while the pistonis withdrawn nearly to its inner end. The communication between theboiler and the cylinder is then closed by the action of the valve orcutoff, and the piston is forced into the cylinder nearly or quite thelength of the latter, displacing the steam and forcing it into theintermediate chamber, which should be smaller than the one describedabove, where it may be superheated, and, if desired, again compressedand forced into the engine-cylinder; or it may be forced into the enginedirect, instead of pass ing through the intermediate chamber,superheating it in the cylinder connected with the boiler; or the steammay be compressed by forcing the pistons into the cylinder of theengine.

If the end of the piston which moves inside of the cylinder is made inthe form of a cone, or of a wedge, the amount of power required to forceit through the steam will be less than if it were made otherwise.

The piston or its equivalent is operated by power applied direct, assteam is applied to the piston of an engine, or by a crank, aneccentric, or a screw, or their equivalents.

I compress water, air, gas, 850., in the manner described above.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. Combining nitro-glycerine with alkali, and converting the same intogas to be used as a motive power.

2. Combining any kind of oil or fatty matter with alkali, and convertingthe same into gas to be used as a motive power.

3. Compressing gas, air, water, steam, or any other liquid or volatilesubstance, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

4. The apparatus herein described, or its equivalent devices, forcompressing gas, air, Water, steam, or any liquid or volatile substance,and using the same as a motive power.

1),. E. SOMES.

Witnesses OHA's. HERRON, W. M. HERVEY.

